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Fair and square: New book tells the story of Birmingham's iconic Blach's specialty store

Fair and Square.JPG

Blach's "Fair and Square" logo, for which store founder Julius Blach secured a copyright in 1892, was still on the door of the old 20th Street North location of Blach's when this picture was taken in 2002. (Birmingham News file/Frank Couch)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- As if he doesn't have enough to do filling in for another term as Alabama's secretary of state, longtime politician and former Birmingham Post-Herald reporter Jim Bennett has just finished writing his fourth book about Birmingham's past.

His latest, "Blach's: The Store, The Family, Their History," tells the story of J. Blach & Sons, the specialty store that was a downtown Birmingham institution for 103 years until the last store closed in 1988.

One of the downtown locations of Blach's, as the store was more commonly known, was at the corner of 20th Street and Third Avenue North and is now home to Blach's Lofts, a residential and commercial development.

Bennett will talk about and sign copies of his new book from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Alabama Booksmith in Homewood.

Harold S. Blach Jr., the great-grandson of Blach's founder Julius Blach and the store's last president, will also attend Wednesday's book signing.

Signed, first-edition copies of the coffee-table book are $24.95, and proceeds will benefit the Birmingham History Center, according to Alabama Bookstore owner Jake Reiss.

Bennett, who served as Alabama's secretary of state from 1993 to 2003, was appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley in July to fill out the remainder of Beth Chapman's term as secretary of state after she left office on Aug. 1 to enter private business.